uk film distribibution

1. UK Film Distribution
Chloe Mills AS Level Media Studies

2. Film Distributing
• In the UK it’s the distributors job to deliver and identify the largest audience
possible for a film – this is a challenge as 500+ film titles are release annually.
• A film can only be released once so its crucial to ensure that there is a ‘buzz’
created around the film to get a large audience asap.
• The first weekend in cinemas is the most important as usually the film will
generate 30% of its box office in this period.

3. The Process of
Distribution

4. Producer/Company acquires rights to film a
story or treatment
Screenplay is developed by writers

5. Principal photography takes place in studios
and/or on agreed locations followed by post
production and editing

6. Distributor presents film to exhibitors and
negotiates bilateral agreements to be showcased

7. Film prints including BBFC are delivered to
cinemas before opening day

8. Other Information

9. Considerations
• Competition: the distributor must consider what other films are likely to
have a similar release date, and what genre these films are. Often release
dates are altered to avoid competing distributors, to enhance viewings.
• Event: distributors have to think whether or not the film is a mass market
blockbuster film, or a film with a more niche audience.
• Star Power: the distributor has to consider whether the film will attract
viewers due to the cast or the director. They have to look at the main cast last
role and the success of themselves in that film

10. Management of Release
• Different releases are managed in different ways
• A saturation release for example could have a “at cinemas everywhere”
release, playing simultaneously on 1000 screens across the UK at 2+ screens
per multiplex – this kind of release is normally used for blockbuster films or
sequels and holiday releases.
• However other niche films such as foreign films or retrieved classics may
only have 25 or less prints. So it would be played at a few screens in London
before touring more widely across a few weeks.

11. Cost and expenses
• Total UK distribution expenditure can vary from thousands up to £4-£5
million per film
• Elements of cost are: Prints, Digital Copies, Advertising and Promotion,
Publicity, Campaigning and the cost of cast and crew.

12. Possible Distributors
• We included the ‘Vertigo Films’ ident at the beginning of our product
alongside our own independent distributor: ‘Roulette Films’. Vertigo films is
a small distributor for small low budget films and is highly successful with
some of its films, including ‘Monsters (2010). Vertigo Films is based in the
UK and specialises in low budget British films like our own.
• We also looked at other small film distributors such as Film 4 and Verve,
who distributed a film called ‘Bullet Boy’.